The Hannandong Residential Center near the accident site received 4024 missing persons declarations. So, why did this stampede accident happen in itaewon? What kind of existence is itaewon in Seoul?
In the area of Litaiyuan Cave, Longshan District, Seoul, South Korea, ambulance personnel are working on the spot. Image source: Xinhua News Agency/New Zealand News Agency's steep terrain brewing tragedy happened in a "Four Seasons Food Street" around itaewon, which is only 45 meters long and only about 4 meters wide. This is the core area of itaewon business circle and a steep alley next to the exit of Litaiyuan Station 1 of Seoul Metro Line 6. Under normal circumstances, only 5-6 adults can pass side by side at the same time.
South Korean President Yin Xiyue made a televised speech to the public at Longshan Presidential Palace on the stampede accident in itaewon. Yin Xiyue expressed her condolences to the families of the victims and announced that she would enter a national mourning period from now on to pay tribute to the victims. He said that accident handling and after-care measures will be the top priority of the national government, and the emergency medical system will be activated to treat the injured as soon as possible and provide support for the funeral of the victims.
According to media reports, itaewon business district has always been famous for its back streets with high drop. Shopping here is "either climbing mountains or going up and down stairs". Some scholars have pointed out that in this "alley business circle", "the integrity and authenticity brought by barbaric growth are its core competitiveness". However, perhaps it is the location of this narrow alley and Halloween on weekends that led to this tragic tragedy.
Itaewon has a long history, which is not only a "holy land" for young people, but also a favorite shopping space for foreigners. Itaewon's name originally came from the name of a hotel in the Korean Dynasty, and the history of itaewon's development into a business circle can be traced back to the Korean War. It is reported that after the Korean War, the US military stationed in South Korea set up a military camp near itaewon. Itaewon is prosperous because of its proximity to the US military station. In order to meet the daily necessities of the US military, Koreans began to set up some shops in itaewon to facilitate their shopping.
Later, itaewon gradually formed a commercial street for foreigners and tourists, which blended eastern and western cultures. 1988 After the Seoul Olympic Games and the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, itaewon has rapidly developed into a representative business district of South Korea. JYP (Park Jin-young), a famous Korean singer-songwriter, released a song "Freedom in itaewon" to describe the state of freedom and individuality here. An article entitled "itaewon's Cultural Identity" by Yonsei University in South Korea mentioned that the title and lyrics of this song show itaewon's "open atmosphere", which is in sharp contrast with the more conservative Korean traditional culture. For this reason, itaewon is very popular with young people.
Itaewon is a famous nightlife business district in South Korea, and the Halloween party in itaewon was originally a famous festival. As mentioned in the Korean drama itaewon Classroom, most people will come to itaewon to celebrate Halloween. It is also a gathering place for many foreigners in Korea. According to local media reports, the fire department staff said that the death toll may increase, and most of the casualties are young people in their twenties. The fire department said that it was because of the Halloween party that a group of people fell and the crowd was crowded, causing many casualties.
Ambulances carrying the wounded struggled through the crowd, and loud and harsh sirens resounded through the night sky. No one seriously injured or dying was sitting on the sidewalk waiting for medical treatment. Kim, who is in her twenties, was injured in the leg. After receiving emergency treatment at the scene, he told reporters that last night 10: 30, he started pushing. 10: 40, the people who walked in front began to fall and piled up 5 to 6 floors.
Customers in bars and nightclubs at both ends of the street are attracted by Halloween costumes and lean forward to watch the excitement, while the photographers stop and others want to pass by. People from different directions push and block each other, and the thrust and resistance cancel each other out, so everyone can't move. A female witness in her twenties said that the dense crowd was like a grave, some people gradually lost consciousness, while others seemed to die in the crowd.